Bury Tomorrow
Portraits


3.0
good

Review

by sspedding USER (18 Reviews)
November 6th, 2009 | 32 replies


Release Date: 2009 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Bury Tomorrow give a competent if unspectacular performance.

A common sound is being adopted particularly by British metalcore bands at current (Johnny Truant/Evita/Azriel etc). A new breed of melodic metalcore has been born. Systematic palm mutes drive what is often a mid paced rhythm, only Johnny Truant cross the borders into death metal paced rhythms out of the aforementioned bands. Riffs are focused on neo melodic death metal, arguably much of this influence is borrowed from their scandanavian counterparts. Single note breakdowns are regularly used but provide moments of intense energy at the bands' live shows. This is of course not new at all, except they are produced to create a more live sounding album when compared to their American metalcore counterparts. Bury Tomorrow's first full length "Portraits" is essentially marketed to those who attend shows regularly, building upon the band's excellent reputation in the UK for its live performances as well as the album's murky production.

Portraits' production is a total contrast to the altogether cleaner Joey Sturgis style of overproduction (We Came As Romans) which includes typically an autotuner for the clean vocalist and mechanically full sounding drums as well as various techniques creating a razor sharp guitar sound. Bury Tomorrow however opt for gravelly guitars and muddy sounding drums, arguably to accentuate the supersonic highs of clean vocalist Jason Cameron.

Essentially Portraits comes across as another 'by the numbers' metalcore release in which Bury Tomorrow rarely deviates from their comfort zone of generic verse/chorus/verse/breakdown/chorus song structure. The musicianship is competent though rarely spectacular. They do however possess a sizeable asset in clean vocalist Cameron, who successfully manages to give what would otherwise be a drab, generic record the X Factor, pouring out his serene vocals to particularly superb effect in “You and I” and in first track “Confessions”. The band are evidently aware they have little else to separate themselves from their other British counterparts besides their undoubtedly talented clean vocalist and the focus of their music is developed to suit his voice. Simple melodic leads are picked by lead guitarist providing ample opportunity for Cameron to light up their tracks. These melodies have a particularly large influence in the more post hardcore influenced rerecordings of their EP songs, “Casting Shapes” and "These Woods Aren't Safe For Us".

Lead vocalist Danni Winter-Bates showcases a fairly satisfactory range of vocals interchanging often between low pitch guttural screams and high pitch shrieks. His talent is nothing out of the ordinary but it provides a neccessary variation. Bates' low pitch screams grow irritatingly monotonous as the record progresses however he has a talent for single note grunts which is something not exhibited by too many metalcore vocalists. This can be heard in the title track "Portraits". One feels his part in the grand scheme of things is important.

The drums are also far from remarkable, he rarely ventures from pedestrian mid paced paced rhythms and any deviation usually involves the exercising of his double bass pedals. The drumming performance characterises the band as a whole in many senses, competent but mechanical. The bass is of course largely inaudible in amongst the metallic barrage and generally the musicianship leaves a bit to be desired, especially when one considers the level of musicianship and excellent use of complex time signatures on the recently released Echo Verses by British math metalcore band The Arusha Accord. A band who it could be argued is a competitor in breaking out of the metalcore underground in Britain.

Having said this though, Bury Tomorrow focus their music on the same melodic metalcore niche Evita tried their hand at and they offer a completely different, albeit more listenable experience which for one reason or another I find to be enjoyable.

Recommended Songs:
You and I
Portraits
Confessions



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user ratings (265)
3.4
great
other reviews of this album
jigsoreterror (4)
Never generic metalcore has been so catchy and heavy as this...



Comments:Add a Comment 
sspedding
November 7th 2009


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

i wish i was better at reviewing.

catsinflats
November 7th 2009


129 Comments


i also like this album waaaay more then i should, i think its their clean that draws me in

sspedding
November 7th 2009


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

100% agree.

catsinflats
November 7th 2009


129 Comments


have you listened to evita's minutes and miles? its another pretty good british metalcore album

sspedding
November 7th 2009


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

I haven't really, I have only heard a few songs. Some of which were ok, some of which I didn't really enjoy that much.

Metalstyles
November 7th 2009


8576 Comments


nice review, but as this is completely average sans the lean vocalist I think I'll pass.

MacWeener
November 7th 2009


288 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Yeah, I fully love this album only for the clean vocalist - he sounds like an angel

sspedding
November 9th 2009


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

I find this album to be growing on me. I wish the singer would join a better band.

crazycobs
November 10th 2009


114 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

The clean vocalist sells this band to me but it wouldnt be the same without the low end growls. so im giving this a four considering the vocals hit more of a chord with me then the hundreds of other metalcore bands out there.

MrCalum
November 24th 2009


371 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

I've only heard bad things about this really, heard the acoustic song which has the most generic chord prog ever and was at the You and I shoot which i heard like a million times more than i should of aha

Jase does really carry this band along and it sucks a bit, don't go to much of the shows they play in southampton if any, I'm really not keen on listening to this album anytime soon but I'll come round to it one day

From what I've heard i don't think this album would really get anything above a 3/3.5

sspedding
November 28th 2009


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

The original 'Her Bones In The Sand' is pretty awesome.

dansxdead
January 4th 2010


438 Comments


I really liked this cd.

PinkBlackberry
January 12th 2010


2346 Comments


You know..I really had to listen to this CD a few times..

I Really, Really..Really Like the cleans..more than i think i should be admitting..and your right, the guitars and drums arent exactly high end top notch etc, but i wouldnt call them pedestrian, because..although they arent amazing..they ARE getting the job done, and quite elegantly.

I also have a theory..the clean vocalists voice COULD be out shining the instrumentation/screamed vocals so much that it is making everyone else in the band sound like sheer horse manure? possibilities?

good review though man, love reading your 2-cents.

sspedding
January 13th 2010


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Thanks pal, I'm glad someone else besides myself gets pleasure from these reviews.



As for the instrumentation I agree you have a point to an extent, the cleans are so superb it is probably a good thing the music is not up to the same level so it doesnt distract the listener and highlights the singer's voice.



I have given this a bit of a hard time reading back on this and it probably is my worst review, i corrected some of the stupid bits and clarified a bit better. However I really do like this album, its a grower.

sspedding
February 17th 2010


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Rekn the US release will have some tastier moments with the addition of bonus songs.

sspedding
March 10th 2010


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Btw, those bonus tracks are fantastic. Would make this review a 3.5.

Spec
May 25th 2010


40167 Comments


Pretty good album, im surprised

IleftyspankedU
June 3rd 2010


768 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Total guilty pleasure. It's what I think Trapt would sound like if they went metalcore. Clean vocalist dips into falsetto a bit much.

sspedding
June 3rd 2010


5724 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Jason is heart and soul of this band.

BreakdownsXplease
June 15th 2010


56 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

I like both vocals in this album, although the cleans are clearly better both make the album a pleasure to listen too. I am just waiting for a follow up.... if there is going to be one.



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